One step at a time. Logistics and the Colorado Trail Speed Record

The greatest journey begins with a single step. I have heard this many times and although it's true, it didn't mean much to me until recently. This whole year that saying keeps ringing in my ears. ( I suppose "running" through my head would be a better analogy.)

In attempting what I consider large scale endeavors from directing a trail marathon to planning a 600 mile run at over 10,000' elevation it is easy to get weighed down by the details. One can readily succumb to the stress of the juggling act and cower under the pressure. Large scale projects are a lot to take on, and yes, they can be scary but the only thing to fear is failure, and failure isn't the end of the world. Lately I'm able to take on larger tasks without stressing...I suppose it's all about mindset. 

I recently spoke to friend about tactics for his first 50 mile ultramarathon. One great piece of advice we discussed is to never stop making forward motion. The same holds true in planning these large scale endeavors. As long as you keep making progress in the planning phases and chip away at the end objective, you can do many things you thought impossible. Just pick one manageable piece of the puzzle, figure it out and keep going.  

In an ultramarathon don't try to run 50 or 100 miles, just run to the next aid station. In planning a race, I can't do it all in a day, but I can plan aid station menu's, or contact a sponsor for prizes. Just like Bill Murray says in that horrible movie, What About Bob,  just make baby steps! 

I think we are capable of a lot more than we believe. We just have to make that first step. Today I booked my flight for the Colorado Trail speed record attempt I'm tackling this summer. It started by just making a page on Facebook, then ordering maps and figuring out the route, and today I bought tickets. Through the support of friends and family this is going to happen. I am daunted nonetheless, but making forward progress! 

Last year prior to attempting the Tour de Virginia I was injured. I went in to the 14 day, 580 mile stage race with everything but machismo. I deemed each day I finished a success. In turn, I had a blast and finished healthy. Without a care in the world I ran 40 something miles per day through Virginia in 100 degree temps for 14 days. I didn't focus on tomorrow. I just lived in the moment and enjoyed it, pushing the limits each second. 

The anxious feelings I've had regarding this summers endeavor in Colorado are quickly making way for positive vibes. I'm prone to be my own harshest critic. The pressure I feel is from within. That's why I spill my guts on these pages for you folks. I'm talking to myself, reinforcing lessons I've learned... Writing is how I analyze and understand my experiences... I know this feat in Colorado is undoubtedly the biggest challenge I've ever taken on.

The injury I suffered before the TDV last year allowed me to put less pressure on myself. I need to ease up on the pressure to prepare and remember the many lessons I've written about over the year. I can do this, but I have to find the mindset first. I have to learn to practice mindfulness and live in the moment. That same drive which pushes me to the limits of my personal potential also push me to overtrain, (not allowing recovery from training) . Living in the moment I train effectively; when I feel good I train hard, when I feel worn I recover and get stronger. I have faith in my training and I'm not scared to take an easy recover day. The hay is in the barn.     

I'm flying into Colorado on the 16th. I'm meeting Eric, Robin, Mike, and more on the 17th to enjoy one day in Colorado and discuss logistics before we begin what will seem to be non-stop running for 600 miles. I am not going to go into many details about mileage and how we plan to break the current FKT, (fastest known time), until after the fact. The current FKT, (or speed record preferez vous?), is 8.5 days.  

Until then it's going to be a crazy ride. I'm headed up to the White Mountains in NH to see Kara's family next week. I'm planning to do a Presidential Traverse and a Pemigewasset Loop run. Both are epic White Mountain runs with time above treeline. Snow should be minimal, but I'll see how the trails look next week. Late season snows could still fall. A week after returning from NH I'm doing a 12 hour race as a training run for Colorado. The race is the Hawthorn 12 Hour on June 8. We're going to the Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival the day after the race which I am psyched about! Since we'll already be in Indiana it worked perfectly. The following week I'm off to Chattanooga to be Mr Dad and watch Denali while Kara has some line shows. Chattanooga is awesome and I'll be getting plenty of training miles in, on, and near the Lookout Mountain 50 course. Upon returning from Indiana, I have one week until I jump on a plane California bound to pace rock star Traci Falbo in her first attempt at the papa of all ultras, the Western States 100.

All of this movement and travel helps facilitate that mindfulness I mentioned earlier- Just going with the flow, and breaking the routines I easily fall in to. The greatest journeys begin with a single step, just keep making forward progress.

  

Inside the Backside- The Backside Trail Marathon Directors Report

Pre-race notes and they're off!

The time it takes to direct a trail marathon increases exponentially as race date approaches. I started planning The Backside Trail Marathon 2013 edition nearly 7 months before race date. Early on in the planning and organizing phases, things are pretty stress free. It's all about contacting vendors and sponsors and lining up details on a macro level. If you start the planning process far enough out, the time crunch doesn't weigh you down. 

Early morning sunrise setup

I planned for my racing season to culminate on April 6th at the Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run to provide the entire month of April to focus on directing the Backside Trail Marathon. I had to sacrifice running the Derby Marathon which is the day before, but I knew for the Backside to be fully successful it would require 100% commitment from the RD, (yours truly...ha ha). This month wasn't about me, it was about The Backside runners. In turn, I ran the fewest miles I had run since my daughter Denali was born. This dedication yielded amazing results as the race was a huge success thanks to our awesome volunteer staff and sponsors. 

I stressed about course markings for months before the race. It was the one thing I couldn't take care of before race weekend. Every other detail could be managed and scrutinized, but the course marking which is one of the most important aspects of the race was up to me to do one day before the race. I was pretty elated when most of the runners applauded the course markings upon finishing, even runners who, "get lost all the time had no trouble finding their way easily on the course!" There are a few spots I want to improve course markings at next year, and I want traffic control at the start finish but otherwise it was smooth as butter.

The Backside is held the day after the Kentucky Derby Marathon. We invite runners to "Double-Down". Runners who "Double-Down" and run both the KDF Marathon and The Backside receive a special medal. (We have the coolest medals in the planet...verified by our runners! You should see the reviews!) Runners can Double at full marathon distance of 26.2 miles and also at the half distance of 13.1 miles. Various running clubs award members points for running back to back marathons in the same weekend, and usually they have to travel to different cities on the same weekend to pull this off. The Backside and KDF Marathon combo provide runners the chance to do this in one city! The city happens to be Louisville at Derby time. There's no better place to be!

My goal was to make the race about each individual experience. I wanted prizes for each and every runner. The cool thing about trail running is the amazing vibe out there on the race course. Ultrarunning and trailrunning are both full of uber-talented athletes competing at a top level, but the emotion on the trail is one of camaraderie and community. I wanted to literally embody that in this race. I wanted runners to realize this is their race. 

With my goal being to provide each individual runner with a unique experience they could cherish, the race had to be an organizational superpower. Every aid station had to be stocked always, runners had to stay on course and not get lost, and timing had to perfect. I had an awesome crew of volunteers to help this happen. 

Volunteers showed up early to their shifts, and people even sought me out on race week asking to volunteer! How awesome is that? I tried to communicate clearly with volunteers and get back promptly when questions arose. In the same regard, I wanted to be the most accessible RD these runners had dealt with. Emails went straight to my phone and I tried to respond to folks immediately. I don't think anything fell through the cracks! Managing the list of who was "doubling" was pretty challenging as I didn't put a link on registration to let me know who was doubling. Every few weeks I would send emails having runners contact me so I could add them to the list. I also mentioned this at sign up but some runners missed this piece of info. Next year runners will have to answer whether or not they plan to "double" at sign which should ease the process.

The point in mentioning all this is that although I am ecstatic about the race I want runners to know I am taking your concerns to heart, and I want to strive for continual improvement. The race was a success and I want to build upon that.

Here's how the 2013 edition of the Backside Trail Marathon went down.



Right to left- Troy Shellhamer RD- Ricky George course sweeper/cleaner- Lauren Adwell DPT with Advanced Ortho, Traci Falbo Overall Marathon Winner, Jeff Mires registration volunteer



Cloudy skies and rainy weather yielded comfortable running temps and our trail turned in to a tough mudder rather quickly. Runners looked pretty badass covered in mud and soaking wet ripping down the course on race day.

Traci Falbo was the overall winner of the marathon which is a big accomplishment. Not many women can claim overall wins over the boys in trail races! Ben Smitherman was only 4 minutes behind to claim second overall and first for the men. It was cool to award Traci the win, but I have to admit I'm glad my course record still stands from the previous year when I doubled down!  

Damien Rock won the half marathon and Erin Rock was first for the females. A power duo from Lexington!

Winners received some awesome shades from Smith Optics and had first grabs in our North Face prize tents which contained a smorgasbord of sweet items like hoodies, backpacks, water bottles, and hats. Over half of our half-marathon racers received prizes and all of our marathon runners received prizes! Against the Grain Brewery donated some hoppy goodness to get the runners some carbs in liquid form. Advanced Orthopaedics was on site to provide medical treatment and rub runners down after their run. Headfirst Performance did a great job keeping the timing straight. Injini donated a ton of awesome toe socks to keep our participants blister free. Thanks to Clif Bar also for giving us a deal on race nutrition.  Luckily, we never ran out of food... I kept detailed spread sheets of aid station supplies and sent out an excel sheet to runners detailing the calories per runner per aid station and what would be available! We will have a great forecast next year to keep you well fed and hydrated! In line with the plethora of prizes and awesome giveaways we offered free digital images were available to all runners! Our photographer got some great shots of you muddy beasts rockin' it out on race day!

I was pretty stoked to see runners faces when they got to pick out their prizes and receive our hadncrafted medals. The medals were a collective effort between myself and Rhonda Curry. (Curry owns The Queens Jewels- Jewelery and Awards.) I heard multiple times that our medals were the coolest people had ever received! Score!

Thanks to our runners donations at registration, (runners had the chance to donate to Olmsted at registration), we were able to donate money to Olmsted Parks Conservancy. (The conservancy manages the trail network we raced on.) Quest and myself also kicked in some extra dollars from the race proceeds to help get the conservancy as much money as possible to keep up the great job they do managing the parks we are so lucky to have here in The 'Ville!

I would definitely say the race was a smashing success, but I'm not getting comfy. More improvements are in store for next year. I want to up the registration numbers again. We sold out this year and had a long waiting list. I fought hard to get runners who were injured to drop out and I even offered refunds to anyone who did. Most races don't offer refunds but I was glad to do so to get runners in from the wait list. Many thanks to runners who contacted me to offer up their spots!  Next year I will once again offer refunds in the event of a wait list, but only in the event we sell out.

The Backside Trail Marathon will have a webpage in development that I'm working on now. It can be found at backsidetrailmarathon.blogspot.com 

Also in store is the planning of a new fall race. Keep your ears open as word spreads on the vine of whats in store. (I'm working on a timed event. More details to come!)



First edition of the finishers Double medals!



  

  

Umstead 100 Race Report- Perseverance, Grit, and Tenacity- "I get by with a little help from my friends."

My last 100 mile attempt was at Pinhoti in November. It ended in a DNF. I hadn't trained the whole month of October after the birth of my awesome little girl, Denali, and near mile 70 I began to suffer from dizziness, "brain fog", and extreme fatigue. I didn't deliberate too long before bailing on the endeavor. After mile 60, my placement in the top 5 was slipping away with each passing mile and I quit before I had a chance to recover and see what I could pull out.

April 6, 2013 marked the 19th annual running of the Umstead 100. It would be my third "Umstead". I planned on improving upon my 15:27 time from the previous year. I have always run well at Umstead despite it always being my third Ultra in as many months. My form was stronger than ever and results from my first two races of 2013 were improvements on already stellar performances from the previous year.

The forecast looked perfect for a total assault en route to my first sub-15 hour hundred mile run. That was my goal. The weather was supposed to be similar to last year, in the upper 60's, with sun this year as opposed to rain.

After a nonchalant start I ran what I felt was a fine pace. My first lap was about 1:47 which was similar to last year. 

Laps 2 and 3 were normal, just plugging along soaking up miles. I felt good but my times weren't reflecting how I felt. I was slow. I was pacing myself by feel first, and heart rate second. Last year my heart rate governor of 149 beats per minute enabled me to run a second 50 mile split only 26 minutes slower than my first 50 miles. I was ecstatic with that spread. I didn't want to blow on my second 50 this year, so although I wasn't hitting my time goals, I knew what pace I could manage for the 100, so I paced myself and just plugged away.  

I enjoyed good camaraderie running with Chris Fisher, Serge Arbona, and Sung Ho Choi. Sung Ho is an Asian dude who was giving Serge crap for being sick because he kisses too many girls. It helped pass the time to listen to our Asian comrade ramble on about which chicks he planned on kissing at Boston next week. Apparently he likes to steal cheeks for mid-race pick-me-ups.

My subsequent laps trailed off quite a bit, and by lap four I had slowed steadily to be right on pace with last year, rolling into mile 50 about five to ten minutes slower than the 2012 version. 

Rolling into the halfway point I was mentally crumbling and collapsing. I had no energy and it felt like my whole world was crashing down. I could barely speak or enunciate, and the act of even standing was too much to manage. I can't recall sitting in any race for even a minute for many years, but upon entering the aid station headquarters at that half way point I dropped my bottle of water, escaped my friends and crew to deal with my emotions, and stumbled over to an unoccupied chair. My body felt good in terms legs, joints, etc., but my energy was non-existent. My body felt incredible the whole day. It was my energy and deep fatigue that was the demon. 

I had a choice to forget about the past, and the future, and accept reality. I wasn't running the race I wanted, and the race I felt I was capable of, but I wanted to finish regardless. I had DNF'd Pinhoti and I didn't want another DNF on my record. Although, in all honesty, DNF's don't go on "records" which is another point I plan to get into later in this report: How runners can bolster their perceived strength by all too frequently DNF'ing races when they aren't on their A game.

My crew and friends had been an incredible source of support and joy, however I wasn't ready to explain what was happening to all of them during my meltdown. I was about to break down and cry when I caught a glimpse of everyone. I gathered my composure and pulled my visor over my eyes to seal myself off in my own world and hash out the situation in my head.

For the first time ever in a race I ripped off my heart rate monitor, and even more importantly, my watch. I tossed them to Stephanie who was probably praying to God I didn't start talking about a DNF. She hasn't seen me melt like this before, but although I looked like hell physically, my body and mind were strong. I would never DNF this race. I knew I had to redefine my goals. I ditched my watch. I wanted to exist completely in the now with no thoughts of the past or the present. Living in the now would get me to the finish line.

This wasn't just another race. I altered my entire season to peak for this race. Last year my 15:27 was one of the top 25 100 mile performances in the country. This year I planned on breaking 15 hours and entering a new plateau. I tried to plan accordingly and things were right on track for a breakthrough performance but I was falling apart and needed to regroup. 

The meltdown at halfway point lasted about 10 minutes. Although I didn't want my pacer to pick me up until mile 62.5, I took her out at mile 50, when I needed her. I helped to vacate the aid station knowing my pacer was with me.

Traci Falbo won the previous year and was pacing me this year, so I was in good hands. I told her what I needed from her was to keep an eye on her watch and force food down my hatch until I crawled out of the crypt I was stumbling through. We set up planned intervals of thirty minutes per gel and I forced down the calories. It was the typical nauseating cycle so common in Ultras. Right when I would begin to feel OK, it would be time for another gel. I would choke it down, feel sick and nauseated, and then when I started feeling good again, I would have to slam another gel down into my gut. I was able to keep getting in calories this way at least. 

Traci did a great job keeping me entertained on the fifth and sixth laps. She was chatty and sung and helped get me out of my physical funk. We even managed to have fun on the seventh lap and both sang out loud and goofed off. My pace didn't slow. It remained sluggish but steady and I could maintain what we were doing. Unfortunately at the end of every lap I would feel so bad that I had to sit for about five minutes to regain composure but after some chicken noodle soup I could force myself out of the chair and Traci and I would forge on for yet another lap. Whenever I would take a break the aid station staff would offer incredible service and help me on my way. Umstead has the BEST volunteers and anyone contemplating running an ultra should make Umstead a priority. I was laughing when I would have to sit, because the volunteers would offer encouragement and say, "You're doing great!". I heard one volunteer ask if this was my first 100 which was humorous to me. I'm not great but it's not my first rodeo! I have only one race on my resume which isn't a top 10, so I was trying to forget about placement. I didn't care about the "first 100?" comments though...I was running like shit and I was doing everything I could. This was a good dose of humility. 

Traci was only supposed to run 37.5 miles but I knew I wanted for her the whole last 50 and she was game for that idea. We have run quite a bit together in the last year and we know how the other one operates mentally. I needed positive encouragement and she provided it. To keep spurring me on she provided a lot of positive encourage and some cheesy bogus mantras that I ate up. I was laughing at her ability to spew out so much positive crap as she doesn't respond to it in the same way. She needs someone to crack the whip. She did well in adapting as a pacer! 

Never in a million years would I have thought that the final 50 miles would have taken me 10 hours to complete but that's just how it went down. I was able to finish, but several people even passed me on the last lap. I wasn't concerned though. I honestly didn't care what happened. As long as I was pushing as hard as I could then I couldn't ask for more. I was surprised how much strength it required to just keep my eyes open, stand upright, and not vomit, so the fact I was still running was enough to keep me satisfied. I didn't give a shit about placement. 

I crossed the line in 17:45, BUT- I finished! I completed many long distance endurance races, and nothing is as challenging as finishing a 100 mile run. Pushing through some amazingly deep lows is a great feeling, however I am still very disappointed in my race. I think I forgot how hard running 100 miles can be! 

My first ultramarathon was in February of 2007 and since then I've raced in and completed nearly 30 ultramarathons not including stage races and triathlons. Over the years I've managed to always improve my previous time on every course I have ever raced on. That was an impressive feat to which I attribute constant  analysis. Unfortunately that trend is now over, but I also didn't rack up another DNF, which is an equally important statistic. 

I've tried to contemplate possible reasons for my major choke-fest at Umstead 2013 and I've come up with the following possible reasons: (yes, I really did blow it. I was slower than my first year even in which I ran a 16:12). Here's what I came up with:

• I wasn't recovered from my course record attempt at the LBL 60K. I usually run the 50 miler at LBL but in wanting to be fresh for Umstead I decided to try to 60K this year and save my legs from 12 added miles of racing. The problem is that I also wanted the course record and the $500 that went with it, and so I ran an intense pace and a great race that I never recovered from. My workouts the entire last month were hit or miss.
• Too much speed work. I've had good results with speedwork focus and I attribute improving over the last few years to focusing on speedwork twice yearly. Since I wasn't recovered from LBL I had no business running some of the workouts I was doing. I also shouldn't have been knocking out those mile repeats and tempo runs so soon after LBL. The workouts left me fatigued the entire following day. I wasn't ever able to recover from LBL. I should have made adjustments and cancelled the speedwork even though it's usually advantageous. 
• I wasn't acclimated to sun and heat. I've been running in 40 degree temps and cloud cover, and race day was sunny and mid sixties. Last year we had cloud cover and sprinkles so maybe it affected me. I had been running in heat for the whole month of March last year in training and this year I had none. 
• Too many electrolytes early in the race. When I rolled in to mile 50 and had my meltdown, I was suffering from too many electrolytes- bloated and dizzy. I recognize this easily while pacing someone else, and fortunately Traci helped point it out to me. I switched my gels at mile 50 and only used Clif and Gu and had better GI success. Otherwise, I had no diarrhea and nasty typical stomach stuff associated with ultra endurance events.
• Something in the water. The winner this year ran last year in the low 14 hour range. This year he was over an hour slower and won in 15:21. Usually the winner of this race is in the mid 13's to mid 14's. Most of the usual suspects were back so it goes to show this was a really tough year for SOME reason. I ran most of the race flip flopping with Serge Arbona who stuck it out and finished in over 17 hours. Serge is on the US 24 hour team and usually runs this event in well under 15 hours. Chris, who finished minutes behind me last year, also DNF'd. What was going on this year? We all had performances that didn't represent the conditions we thought we were racing in. 

The final DNF rate was near 40% and among the top 20 bib numbers the DNF rate was closer to 60%. I stuck it out, but sticking it out is NOT the norm anymore in the sport. DNF'ing amongst runners has become too common maybe. There are no negatives or downsides as DNFs don't show up on runners records. What's up with that? Should we encourage DNF's or discourage them? We should be looking at runners DNF rates to gauge success? What about runners who race super frequently though and just aren't feeling it one day? Why should they forge on and continue if they feel like hell? I guess there is not a black and white answer. It depends...It raises interesting points for further discussion. Accepting a DNF is hard but then it goes away forever to be forgotten about. Finishing and accepting a pathetic time that you are capable of doing much better than scars your record forever. I don't know. It's a lot to consider...

Shout Outs

Daniel Delph and Rhonda Curry! I was so happy so share the course with you both! Congrats on pushing hard and giving it your all!

Mary Shannon Johnstone- Thanks for cheering hard out there! People like you make the spirit of this race. Umstead is seriously the front runner for camaraderie on course! Thanks for the pics! 

Guido Ferrari and Charles West- Thanks for your dedicated volunteer efforts out there.

Heidi, Andrew, Erin, Jeremy- You are all awesome friends! We need to travel to more races. Thanks for making the weekend kick ass!

Stephanie- You're the best crew ever. I'm so glad you finally got to experience Umstead. I am going to have to fight off my friends who all want you to crew them now too since they know how awesome you are! 

Traci- I already blabbed about how super duper you are in the article. 

        

      

Ultramarathon Training: Train like a marathoner for peak performance

Over the past decade the sport of ultra running has grown exponentially and with its growth the level of competition at the front of the pack has risen proportionally. With its growth in participants, media coverage, and prize purses, the sport of ultra running has seen a lot races won by serious athletes who have road marathon times in the 2:20 to 2:30 range.

The ultra community however still engages in behaviors which are completely counter-productive in relation to gaining speed  beyond marathon distance, (and any distance for that matter!). Ultra runners still wear the number of races they partake in each year as a badge of honor even though over-racing is detrimental to performance capabilities. Along with racing too much, the lack of speedwork we do in ultra running is appaling. Speedwork is the key in gaining speed at even the one hundred mile distance. Can anyone tell me the name of an elite marathoner who races 6-12 marathoners per year who has peak performances in all of his or her races? No, because racing is counter-productive to training. To perform at peak levels, a runner must taper and decrease mileage, and allow recovery post race for several weeks which also results in decreased training abilities. Peak performances can only happen every few months. The inconsisties in training which result as a product of racing do not allow the adequate training routine needed to get stronger and faster. If someone thinks they don't need recovery after a race,  I assume they don't know it feels like to race at maximal capacity.

It may surprise most ultra runners to know that to prepare for even the hundred mile distance one must still train as if they were preparing for a marathon PR. Ultra running is an endurance sport, and as such we rely our lactate threshold to govern which pace we can manage for any given distance. Whether its a marathon or a one hundred mile ultra, we must build our aerobic engines to its maximum potential. Building our engines requires speedwork and tempo runs.

The human body for all intensive purposes has two motors which drive it; the aerobic sytem and the anaerobic system. The aerobic system fuels exercise considered easy to moderate and the anaerobic system fuels activities considered hard and beyond. Aerobic means "with oxygen" and anaerobic means "without oxygen". The aerobic system runs off of fat and oxygen, and the anaerobic system runs off of stored carbohydrates in the body.  These stored carbs are called glycogen. The body is very efficient at burning fat and oxygen for fuel. The aerobic system is the preferred energy system of our bodies. Fat comes from storage in the body and oxygen is delivered from the lungs as we breath. When the body runs out of oxygen because the lungs are taking in all of the oxygen they are capable of at increases efforts, the body supplements with glycogen and we go anaerobic.

Even the slimmest runner and cyclist has enough fat to fuel themselves for days and even weeks, but those same bodies can only store about 2000 calories worth of glycogen. This 2000 calorie supply is enough to fuel roughly two hours of intense exercise. Coincidentally, the worlds best marathoners finish the 26.2 mile distance in just over 2 hours... just enough time to make that final kick a real challenge when their bodies run out of their high octance fuel source, glycogen.

Elite marathoners train their bodies to burn fat and oxygen for fuel by raising the point at which their bodies switch from aerobic to anaerobic. This is called the lactate threshold.

For an ultra runner the advantage of raising their lactate threshold comes in the ability to run at higher paces and intensities using fat and oxygen primarily since the human body can only store a small amount of glycogen. Ultra runners are racing for an entire day, and in doing so, they must race below their lactate threshold as the events last from several hours to several days, clearly these requirements burn through more than 2000 calories worth of glycogen! Ultra runners must spare as much glycogen as possible while racing to avoid the dreaded "bonk" or "hitting the wall".

Here is an example to illustrate:

        Imagine a runner attempting his first 50 mile race. Let's call him, "Quadzilla". During Quadzilla's first ultra his lactate threshold was 75% of maximum heart rate. Even with perfect nutrition, getting in gels every half hour to provide the glycogen his body craved, he was only able to run the race at 60% of his max heart rate since his threshold was 75% of max. Quadzilla is happy to finish but he understands sports physiology and vows to start doing speedwork and raise his threshold. Quadzilla doesn't buy into the poor logic ultra runners dish out all the time. He doesn't "run on tired legs" and he avoids "back to back long runs". Marathons are not his speedwork. Over the year he raises his lactate threshold ten percentage points to 85% of max. He shaves nearly an hour off his 50 mile time since he is able to maintain a higher power output as a result. Nice job Quadzilla!

Speedwork such as mile repeats are the tools with which to increase your lactate threshold. Along with logging long quality miles the balancing act can be hard, but there must be a combination of all of these aspects to reach your maximum potential. Speedwork is very hard on the body. While running at max intensity the body recruits the endocrine system to help bump up hormone production to push hard during intervals. More than approximately 8 weeks of dedicated speedwork and the endocrine system fatigues and runners can become stale. Yet another reason that peak performances can only happen a few times every year. Recovery can be pro-active by planning it, or retroactive by waiting until your body says, "No More!" and you end up sick or injured.

Of course there are many aspects to training which provide the end result, lactate threshold improvement is only one piece of the pie. Nutrition is paramount as well. Low carb runners are doing themselves an injustice by not allowing their bodies to receive the fuel it craves for these high intensity workouts. To reach peak intensities during workouts the body uses glycogen, and as you know, glycogen comes in the form of carbs. It sound catchy to say, "I'm teaching my body to burn fat", but in reality a runner just can't hit the speeds they could hit with a full fuel tank of glycogen. Try to do speed work while being carb depleted and notice an inability of the heart rate to elevate. Look to clinical science before anecdotal conjecture. Low carb diets and high intensity training do not go hand in hand. An intake ratio of 65% to 70% carbs should be maintaned during the two month period in which speedwork is the focus. Your body will become plenty efficient at burning fat during your long runs which you will now have the energy to complete due to your increased focus on diet.

Good luck in training for your next ultra. Keep the information stream flowing! Most of us runners could benefit from taking an hour off from running each week and sticking our nose in a book! Be critical of articles, research their claims! Just because a runner trains in a certain way, doesn't mean that's the best way. I'm sure there are low carb runners who are fast, and I'm sure some people blow off speedwork, but are they really living up to their potential? What about a mid-packer who has a 95% lactacte threshold and has trained his body flawlessly, he just wasn't gifted with elite physiology. Someones placement in a race is not indicative neccesarily of how well they have tuned their body. A podium finisher could actually be capable of better and the mid-pack runner could be at the top of his game. It's all about the numbers. What is YOUR lactate threshold?
Comment call! Post questions and comments below!

Best of luck in training!

Zen Pudding Energy Gel- Land Between the Lakes 60K Race Report

The night before the Land Between the Lakes 60K a friend asked me if I was nervous. I replied "Nope." with a smile.

This years running marked the 10th anniversary of the LBL Trail Runs. The event has grown over the last decade to include a 50 miler (which I have run every year since 2007), as well as marathon distance and shorter.

Based in Grand Rivers, Kentucky; the race begins with a two mile run on pavement to thin out nine hundred runners before they embark on the singletrack loop which comprises the remainder of the day. Runners tackling the 50 mile distance circle the trail network four times, 60K runners circle three times, and marathon runners circle twice.

The original ultra distance of the LBL Trail Runs was 60K, (37.2 miles). This year I decided to take a departure from the usual 50 mile distance to try to break the 60K course record which came with a nice $500 purse for the runner who could establish a new CR.

Rolling into packet pickup on Friday night I was greeted by the race director, Steve Durbin. Steve is a great director and has done a good job organizing the event. Steve informed me Scott Breeden would also be going for the 60K course record which came as no surprise to me. I have become friends with Scott as we run a lot of the same races and Scott and I had talked about the 60K CR previously.

Some people had asked if I was bummed, or psyched, that I would be running against the speedy Scott Breeden again after Louisville Lovin' the Hills 50K. Sure, with Scott at LBL the chance to win a good chunk of cash was greatly reduced, but my goals in running aren't about placement, so I was stoked Scott was running as we would probably help push each other. I strive to improve performances. That's where the "Zen Pudding" part of the title comes in... Running to me is about goal setting and maximizing personal potential. Placement is irrelevant as it is based on comparison of other individuals and doesn't reflect maximizing personal potential. I might go out on a limb here but stick with me, I'm making a point.

Here is why placement is irrelevant...

Just because someone wins a race this doesn't mean they have maximized personal potential. Say someone is capable of running even faster but doesn't train well and doesn't eat well, but they still come in first place even with a sloppy performance because their innate talent is through the roof, what is there to respect about that and learn from? I respect someone more who reaches 100% of their potential even if they are a mid-packer but they reach maximum economy and potential through flawless training and nutrition. I've won some races while performing at sub-par levels, and had perfect performances and not won. I'm more proud of the races in which I met my potential and ran at my maximum capacity regardless of placement.

I know most runners aren't fighting for wins and podium finishes but the lesson still has a valuable takeaway for anyone striving to push the limits and excel whatever their pursuits may be.

It's this kind of perspective I've been lucky to realize and learn over the past few years of pushing the limits. Running has been a blessing and it's taught me not just how to get from point A to point B, but how to live in the present and practice mindfulness in the process.

So, when my friends asked me if I was nervous and I replied "Nope." I meant it. I was ready to dig deep and push the limits once again, and see if I could surprise myself at a new distance. I was fresh and ready.

The morning sun was at our faces and the air was chilly as nearly a thousand of us stood in our brightly colored synthetic clothing ready to begin our journeys. Sailboats surrounded us at the race start reminding us all that the day would be a trip full of adventure. I wondered if the wind would blow our sails and how the seas would treat us. I was ready for whatever the trails could toss our way, but on race day, March 9, 2013 the seas were calm. The trail was in better shape than I had seen in my 7 years of racing the LBL Trail Runs. Mud was minimal and runners could probably have gotten away with even wearing road shoes on the singletrack hiking and mountain biking trails.

At the command to "GO!" Scott Breeden and I bolted off at sprint pace and my heart rate was through the roof. I felt better than ever, ready to push the pace all day and punish myself. Scott and I ran together on the road at a clip of just over 6 minute per mile pace. I constantly gauged Scotts breathing at this effort and made note my breathing seemed more labored than his. This was a race of almost 40 miles and we were hurdling ourselves forward unabashedly ready for more challenging terrain. The first half of the loop Scott and I each fell once and didn't seem to slow even with the tumbles. One might think that at these paces which seemed insane to me we would be nose to the grindstone, faces gritty and determined but the air was light and the conversation good, relaxed and quite enjoyable. Scott and I chatted about upcoming races and I enjoyed his company. We took turns leading one another until he finally pulled ahead on the second half of the loop where the larger hills are.

Scott is built like a professional marathoner, light and tight, with minimal upper body mass. I have been working with my PT, Lauren, at Advanced Orthopaedics and my form on flat terrain has become much more efficient which gave me the ability to hang with Scott on the flat terrain, but on the climbs he can pull away from me with his monster lungs and lack of mass. (...and my specialty is challenging terrain and climbing!). The 37.2 mile course holds 3000'-4000' of vertical ascent, most of which come on the second half of the loop. Trying to hold 7 minute miles on this terrain is challenging to say the least but I felt comfortable and once I was on my own I settled into a rhythm and focused on form.

I was thrilled with my time completing the first loop. Including nearly two miles of road to enter the trails, I had only been running an hour and thirty minutes. My first lap was 1:16.45. I was well ahead of course record pace. Stephanie and I had constructed a plan in which I only had to carry a water bottle for half of the loop and this plan worked well. On the faster first half of the loop I could float along at speeds I once thought I was incapable of without the weight of a bottle to affect arm-swing, and then on the second half of the loop when the climbs would slow me down regardless, I would carry a bottle and pick up an energy gel.

I took the second lap easier and slowed by five minutes, for a 1:22 split. Rarely during a race do I have the chance to enjoy myself, but while running along the Kentucky Lake shore I looked around and realized I had the opportunity to have a day full of running in gorgeous weather. I knew second place was locked in at the speeds I was running and I knew I had some time in the bag from the speedy first lap.

Finishing the second lap I was still enjoying myself and was shocked how fast the race was going by. Having run the 50 mile event for six years prior, I was used to having to run four laps so the prospect of pounding out just one more lap seemed refreshing. I knew I had taken it a bit too easy on the second lap but by watching my heart rate I knew I was still pushing pretty hard since I was averaging well over 85% of my maximum heart rate.

I grabbed a 5 hour energy and a gel from crew extraordinaire, Stephanie, as I ran by and pushed a much harder effort on the third lap. I was still enjoying myself but in a masochistic way now. It was time to dig deep and destroy my legs, heart and lungs, with everything I possessed.  I had begun lapping people on the start of my second lap and now on my third and final lap the trails were pretty crowded. I was forced to yell, "COMING BY ON YOUR LEFT!!!" to large groups of runners. I wanted to make sure to say "Thank You!, Nice Job! Keep it up!" to all who made way for my passage and smile so as not to seem like a jerk. I respected their efforts immensely but I too was on a mission. A minimal amount of runners had their iPods on too loudly and I was left to graze by them brushing shoulders on the narrow trails. If you're going to wear iPods on singletrack, keep the volume down.

I was stoked to finally see friends while I made my way around the third lap and was catching up to them on their second lap. It fueled me to push harder to catch as many people as I could on their second lap as I finished my last!

My eyes were glued to my Garmin as I completed my last lap and began the 1.8 miles to the finish line. Had I slacked off too much on the second lap?! I made haste and took off towards the finish at a pace in the high 6 minute range. I came in a few seconds over the previous course record and was happy with that. Scott Breeden earned his payday.

Final numbers showed an effort that lasted 4 hours and 27 minutes for my 37.2 mile run. I averaged exactly 85% of my maximum heart rate which I was psyched to see! My final lap required great effort. I ran the same pace as my second lap although it felt much faster and more difficult. My third lap was 1:22.30. Honestly, I goofed off and had too much fun on my second lap, and it cost me a few minutes so I came in a few seconds over the old CR, but I ran a strong race and I was cool with that!

I wasn't happy with my Lovin' the Hills performance the month prior, but this was one I was very happy with. The day was a blast and I felt good. Running the 60K was rewarding and I saved my legs for Umstead 100 mi which is the main goal for spring. I'm pretty sure had I run the 50 mile distance, I could have knocked off at least 10-15 minutes from last years 6:25 including fade for the longer distance, so I couldn't ask for more than what I came up with on race day.

Congrats to Scott on a phenomenal race, and congrats to everyone who ran on Saturday, regardless the distance or pace! We're all doing the same thing here!

Don't wait to sign up for the Backside Trail Marathon on April 28th! It's going to rock! Go to http://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=18665

Regarding the title...I'd love to get into a personal treatise on how running has helped me practice mindfulness and how living in the present has improved my training and overall peace, through helping me not overtrain however I'm guessing this is better served in a separate article...hahaha. This was supposed to be a race report.

 

   

Louisville Lovin' the Hills Race Report

Lovin' The Hills 2013- A Review

I choked down yet another energy gel packet, sticking to my nutrition strategy of one gel every 30 minutes. 20 miles had gone by and my stomach felt good, but not great. The previous 20 miles were very strong, but not sheer perfection like the previous year. The final 12 miles would follow suit, worthy of contentment, but not awe. 

In the opening miles I maintained a pace which felt punishing. It was a pace I knew from experience I could maintain throughout the 32 miles of trails that comprise the LLTH 50K course. The course is a little long to be a true 50K, and to add to the challenge the route boasts 6400' of climbing- not bad for a Midwestern ultra!

Entering Scott's Gap at mile 20 I had finally escaped the affable Harvey Lewis who was running in 3rd place. Harvey is a talented runner who is on the TEAM USA 24 Hour Team. Harvey was the second fastest US male at the World Competition this past fall. Scott Breeden was somewhere far ahead of me at this point, and about to gain even more ground during his scorching return on the Siltstone trail. 

This was my seventh year in a row running this race. I know how to run the course. I always use the challenging Scott's Gap loop as a chance to recover slightly before the return on the Siltstone trail, and apparently Scott Breeden did the same, as he only gained two minutes on me while I ran at a relaxed pace. 

Ironically enough, the section of course in which Eric Grossman and I dropped Scott Breeden last year was this same stretch, aptly named Scott's Gap. This year, however, the tables were turned. Scott was in 1st place and swiftly flying through the forest en route to a win. Scott has grown and matured as a runner. He's had a stellar year including a sub-70 minute half marathon and a 50K in which he finished only minutes behind David Riddle, (one of the fastest guys in the country). From his smoking fast times in shorter races I knew he had the physiology to be an amazing ultrarunner, and he showed everyone what he is capable of in his first two ultras of 2013. 

After exiting the Scott's Gap section, Breeden put the hammer down and ran a sub-55 minute Siltstone return. This stretch of trail is the return from an out and back and the runners I passed on their way out weren't giving me any clue as to how far ahead he was. I didn't care. I was punishing myself, and giving it all I had regardless of anyone elses proximity to my churning legs. My one hour return on the Siltstone wasn't enough to bridge the gap he was forming.

As I finished the Siltstone trail and entered the Yost Ridge Trail for the final climb of 3 miles to the finish I contemplated my overall goals in the race.

• Beat last years time of 4:47
• Beat the Course Record from 2007 of 4:39
• Maintain a high heart rate
• Stay strong mentally. Push myself as hard as possible and "stay in the pain cave..."  
• Practice good nutrition by eating every 30 minutes
• Carb-load well the week prior to the race at a 70/18/12 carb/fat/protein ratio.
• Run from the core. Keep lower abs firm during the race. Kegel throughout.

I closed strong and held my second place finish, with an overall time of 4:37, beating the old course record by two minutes. I knew it would be close, and so I dug deep on the steep grades heading up to the races finish line.

It was a good race considering I didn't taper. The course was a little shorter than the previous year and I ran 10 minutes faster without speedwork in January. Scott Breeden roasted me, but I met my goals.

Not every race can be an A race. Last year this was an "A" race. I tapered well and trained for it. This year however I'm building to peak for the Umstead 100 in April. I'll walk away from LLTH this year content that I ran as strong as last year while training through the race.

Recovery from LLTH which was now 3 weeks ago was fast. I began focusing on mile repeats and tempo runs only a week or so after the race. I was fresh and ready after a January which was high in volume but low to medium in intensity. The workouts my PT Lauren, at Advanced Orthopaedics has me doing helped with recovery as there are fewer imbalances in my form. I felt stronger than ever on the decents and I look forward to the improved recovery times which focusing on hip strength, form, and balance has brought me.

I'm shooting for the Course Record at the Land Between the Lakes 60K this year on March 9, (next weekend). I've opted for the 60K distance over the 50 mi. I'm happy with past performances at the LBL 50 and this is the 7th year I've run LBL. This year I want to spare the legs and endocrine system from the 12 added miles of racing the 50 mi vs. the 60K. The 60K course record attempt will still be challenging as its a stout time. I feel like I am making a wise move by racing the faster 60K at LBL this year which is only 4 weeks prior to Umstead. It boils down to 4 hours of racing compared to 6. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make my goal for Umstead happen; a sub-15 hour 100 miler. (2012 Umstead 100 15:27)

  

     

Louisville Lovin' the Hills 50K pre-report / Colorado Trail Speed Record Attempt News

Maximizing potential...that's what its all about.

My goals for the 2013 edition of the Louisville Lovin' The Hills 50K were pretty simple; Run strong and solid mentally and physically throughout, beat the 6 year old course record of 4:39, and hopefully win in the process. Last year I had the run of my life while battling Eric Grossman. Living up the precedent set last year would be hard to do.

I will have a much more detailed and analytic race report up early this week here on the blog, but here's the gist; I ran a really good race. I would give myself a A or A- in this race if it were a test. Last year I would have scored an A+. Placement being irrelevant, its all about running the maximum you are capable of. I ran close to that this year. Mentally I buried myself the entire day which I'm happy about. My body was physically stronger than ever in regards to musculo-skeletal system strength this year, and my cardio fitness was almost in top shape with the reason short taper leaving me at about 95% in cardio fitness. This was not an A race for the year. I'm building to peak for Umstead 100 in April. Not every race can be the race of a lifetime and you can't always be at 100%.

This all equates to running a 4:37 yesterday, taking 10 minutes off of last years time, on a shorter course, which means my pace was basically the same. I beat the 6 year old course record by two minutes, (which was also run on a different course, I believe ever shorter than what we ran yesterday). Considering last year I had the race of my life, and this year I didn't feel like I was at 100% in the cardio dept, (I was definitely at 100% in the musculo-skeletal strength dept, which helped keep form solid on technical decents...), I can't complain. It was strong and solid and I met my goals.

In the process of meeting my goals, Scott Breeden brought his "A" game and ran his best race I've seen him run ever at ultra distance. He deserved the win, and got it. He is an Olympic quality talent whom has finally got his education in the sport of ultra distance and is running what he is capable of. It's good to see him nail the ultra distance stuff finally in regards to pacing himself well and running with confidence. He is capable of sub-70 minute half-marathon times and with that physiological blessing, it's great to see what he can do on the ultra circuit while maximizing HIS potential.  

Like I said, I'll write a better race later this week but I wanted to get something out.



COLORADO TRAIL SPEED RECORD ATTEMPT

Much progress was made this week in the Colorado Trail Speed Record Attempt planning. My friend Stephanie will come out on day four and crew for the duration. Mike Ambrose who will also be running has some friends in Colorado, (he lives in Leadville), who will also be able to help maybe in the first four days.

Locking in crew to help shuttle tents and gear was paramount in going for the speed record. Now that we have some crew under wraps I'm happy to say this is going to happen! Like I said though, we still need help. If you are interested in running with us or helping to crew our attempt please let me know!

The journey commences on July 17th!